Numerical model study of dual frequency conductance measurement of left ventricular volume in the mouse

Instantaneous measurement of ventricular volume using tetrapolar conductance catheters facilitates evaluation of the effects of genetic alterations and cardiogenic drugs on ventricular function with pressure-volume loop analysis. The parallel conductance of cardiac muscle causes errors in left ventricular volume estimation. The frequency dependence of the effective conductance of cardiac muscle can be used to correct the measured conductance signal to reflect only the conductance of blood. Finite difference method numerical models of the electric and current density fields have been used to study the relative contributions of blood and muscle to the measured conductance signal in the mouse left ventricle.